HHS will reevaluate programs, regulations to ensure taxpayer funds are not paying for elective abortions

Dr. Dorothy Fink, acting secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced that the agency would begin reevaluating its current practices to ensure they are not utilizing federal dollars to promote non-medically necessary abortions.

HHS's Office of Civil Rights has been tasked with investigating whether the agency's programs, regulations and guidance are following federal guidelines under the Hyde Amendment, according to a Monday announcement from Fink. The review, Fink noted, will be conducted via guidance issued by the Office of Management and Budget.

"The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Office for Civil Rights, is tasked with enforcement of many of our nation’s laws that protect the fundamental and unalienable rights of conscience and religious exercise," Fink said in the announcement. "It shall be a priority of the Department to strengthen enforcement of these laws." 

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Pro-life activists try to block the sign of a pro-choice demonstrator during the March for Life on Jan. 19, 2018, in Washington, D.C. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

The announcement from Fink is in line with President Donald Trump's Jan. 24 executive order calling on all executive agencies to enforce laws under the Hyde Amendment, which prevents the use of federal funds for non-medically necessary, elective abortions. Trump's Jan. 24 executive order also rescinded two executive orders implemented by President Joe Biden that sought to loosen restrictions on abortion in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to strike down Roe v. Wade. 

"Congress has enacted the Hyde Amendment and a series of additional laws to protect taxpayers from being forced to pay for abortion," stated a "fact sheet" published Saturday by the White House. "Contrary to this longstanding commonsense policy, the previous administration embedded federal funding of elective abortion in a wide variety of government programs."

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Fox News Poll on SCOTUS overturning Roe v. Wade. (Fox News)

Notably, Fink's announcement about the agency-wide review came amid an external communications freeze implemented by the Trump administration. While essential agency functions have been permitted to continue under the freeze, these functions are not supposed to be promoted until it is over, according to a memo reportedly sent to officials at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from NIH acting Director Matthew Memoli.

Fox News Digital reached out to Fink and HHS to inquire about why this announcement about reevaluating its practices to ensure they align with the Hyde Amendment was permitted amid the communications freeze, but did not hear back in time for publication. 

In addition to announcing HHS' plans to reevaluate programs under the Hyde Amendment, Fink's announcement also praised the Trump administration's decision to immediately rejoin the international Geneva Consensus Declaration on Promoting Women's Health and Strengthening the Family. 

Pro-life activists demonstrate protests in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 1, 2021. (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)

According to a memo from the State Department, the declaration seeks to "secure meaningful health and development gains for women," "protect life at all stages," "defend the family as the fundamental unit of society," and "work together across the United Nations system to realize these values." Fink said in her Monday announcement that HHS's Office of Global Affairs intends to support the U.S.' efforts as part of this coalition.